New Wisconsin law restricts employer access to personal accounts

Last Tuesday, Wisconsin passed a new law which greatly limits employers access to personal accounts of job applicants or employees.

According to The National Law Review, the legislation, Wis. Stat. Section 995.55, also prohibits educational institutions and landlords from requesting or requiring similar access. Furthermore, employers can not refuse to hire (or discriminate against) an individual who employs the new privacy provision.

The law specifically protects “access information” – usernames and passwords, as well as other data that secures personal online accounts – so it is no longer at the immediate disposal of organizations.